Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is this an infertility blog?

Yes, and no.

This blog is for me to tell my infertility (and other unicorn) stories so others like me might feel less alone. I also hope that this blog can be a safe place for you to tell your story, fertility related or not, so that others like you might feel less alone. The inspiration for this blog was so perfectly summarized by the powerful Hannah Gadsby during her Netflix special, Nanette. She said:

“What I would have done to have heard a story like mine. Not for blame. Not for reputation. Not for money. Not for power. But to feel less alone. To feel connected. I want my story heard because, ironically, I believe Picasso was right. I believe we could paint a better world if we learned how to see it from all perspectives. As many perspectives as we possibly could. Because diversity is strength. Difference is a teacher. Fear difference, you learn nothing."

This is the reason I have a Guest Writer Wednesday spotlight. There is no way I could paint all of the perspectives myself. (Email me by clicking the CONTACT link in the menu bar if you are interested in sharing your "Unicorn" story.)

2. Why is this blog called "Embrace Your Unicorn?"

I am a Unicorn. Literally. No, I don't have a single horn protruding from my forehead or a majestic flowing mane, but I am still a literal unicorn. (And not in the inaccurate way literally is being used nowadays to really mean figuratively - "I am so hungry right now, I could literally eat a horse." No, sweet one, no you couldn't.) My unicorn is way less majestic than the real deal and wouldn't look sexy galloping across a rainbow-painted sky. I am a unicorn because I have a unicornuate uterus(see #3 below for more details). Health professionals endearingly refer to us with this type of uterus as "unicorns." This is not a desirable diagnosis for a woman who is trying to get pregnant. While I grieve this diagnosis, I am also actively trying to embrace it. And embracing a part of myself that I don't like and is different than the norm is hard to do. Especially when I feel alone and trapped inside my head. So I write.

I take my anxious, lonely thoughts and share them in this blog.

And you know what? Me being a Unicorn really isn't that special.

You are a Unicorn too, or at least you've had some Unicorn thoughts. You have a unique part of you that is different than the norm. The part that you don't like very much. Or sometimes you might have Unicorn thoughts. Thoughts about how the world could be different than it is.

3. What's a unicornuate uterus?

A unicornuate uterus is a congenital uterine anomaly. Something went awry during development when I was just a little embryo in my momma’s belly. Normal uteruses have two fully developed horns and two fully developed halves. In the simplest of terms, I have half a uterus.

Some important things to know about this uterus:

It's not ideal. Instead of a baby having a two-bedroom apartment with a spacious open floor plan to grow in, my baby would have a small studio apartment with an uncomfortable Murphy bed and cramped galley kitchen. Additionally, the blood supply to a unicornuate uterus is usually a little bit funky (technical medical terminology). So in my studio apartment, my baby's lighting and plumbing systems may not work perfectly either (sorry, future baby).

It is usually really hard to get pregnant and even harder to stay pregnant. According to my reproductive endocrinologist (RE), pregnancies with a unicornuate uteruses end in miscarriages 37% of the time.

If the pregnancy makes it past 10 weeks, women go into pre-term delivery 16% of the time.

4. Can I write for your blog?

If you have a "unicorn" story and want to share, please let me know! I am always looking for Guest Writer Wednesday story-tellers. Email me via “Contact” at the bottom of this page, and we'll set something up!

In addition to infertility, other "unicorn" topics might include:

Eating disorder recovery

Mental health issues (anxiety, postpartum depression, bipolar, etc.)

Rebelling against diet culture and fat phobia (Christy Harrison is my favorite mind on this topic!)